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Knowledge Management

Amhara Regional State

Bure PLW

Knowledge Gap Assessment

Bure

Bread Wheat

Farmers are unaware of the availability of improved varieties of bread wheat and plant their whole field with one improved variety which hassprouting problem. To solve this problem the project introduced seven improved varieties and demonstrated on framers field at three sites.

When using herbicides, most farmers do not know about the appropriate types of nozzles to use for different applications andcalibrationtechniques. The project trained cooperative store-men, DAs, supervisors and experts on pesticide handling and sprayer maintenance.

Farmers thresh their wheat on the ground using ox since they do not know the effect of this practice on bread quality. As a result some wheatflour factories buy grains from other suppliers at relatively higher price compared to the local market. To solve this problem the project introducedand demonstrated mechanical wheat thresher to farmers, multipurpose cooperative officials, teachers and students at two PAs.

Farmers did not know about the importance of minimum tillage for wheat production. As a result farmers spend a lot of money and labor forcultivation. In addition, female headed or poor households rent their

land due to shortage of draught power for land preparation. On top of this,frequent cultivation aggravates soil erosion and contributes to rivers and spring siltation. To solve this problem the project demonstrated wheatproduction with minimum or zero tillage technology.

Hot pepper

Farmers did not know about availability of many improved varieties of hot pepper. To solve this knowledge gap IPMS project introduced hotpepper seed production scheme on farmers’ fields.

Farmers also did not know

about the impact of pre-mature harvesting and pod drying on the ground. The project has planned to do comparativedemonstration to alleviate this knowledge gap.

Farmers have knowledge gap on prevention and control measures of pepper root rot. The project forwarded the issue to ARARI in order todevelop control measures for the disease.

Faba bean

Annex 1 PLW Knowledge Management Activities

Farmers and some extension experts did not know about the availability of several improved faba bean varieties. Thus, all farmers grow localvarieties.To solve this problem the project introduced and demonstrated three improved faba bean varieties on two farmers’ fields.

Farmers apply inorganic fertilizer for faba bean production since they do not know the use of biofertilizer for faba bean production.

Farmers and some extension experts did not know that large sized faba beans are preferred for the export market. The projectintroduced anddemonstrated three improved varieties of faba bean on two farmers’ fields.

Tropical fruit crops (Avocado, Banana and Papaya)

Farmers and DAs did not know about vegetative propagation techniques of fruit crops. Consequently, all fruit trees planted at

Farmers did not know the availability of improved varieties of various fruit crops and plant seedlings raised from seeds of unknown origin. Theproject introduced and demonstrated improved varieties of avocado, banana and papaya on three PAs as future mother trees.

Farmers did not know about small scale processing and marketing of sugarcane. The project introduced and demonstrated manually operatingsugarcane juice making machines and promoted consumption of sugarcane juice and jelatin

to develop local market outlets for these products.

Fattening (cattle and sheep)

Year round animal fattening is not common in Bure due to “shortage” of feed resources. However, huge amount of crop residue is harvestedannually and this can be utilized for year round animal fattening with urea treatment. Farmers didn’t know about backyard forage development. Theproject trained farmers on feed formulation from locally available feed resources and organized experience sharing tour for farmers, DAs and expertsin order to show them how year-round cattle fattening activity using locally available feed resources is practiced Gonder.

Apiculture

Farmers from Bure and neighboring districts buy bee colonies caught from migrating bee colonies in the forestarea because they do not haveadequate knowledge on queen rearing or colony splitting. The project trained 18 farmers, 6 DAs and an expert on colony splitting and queen rearingtechniques to start alleviatomg this problem.

Dairy

Farmers, DAs and experts lack adequate knowledge on the impact of improper housing and inadequate feeding on milk production. The projectorganized training and experience sharing tour to BureDamot dairy cooperative members to give farmers, DAs and experts in the

PLW appropriate

exposure to who such tasks should be practiced.

Poultry

Farmers at Bure PLW rear local poultry breeds mainly due to lack of improved poultry breed supply. They were not aware of possibilities for day-old chicken multiplication using locally made incubator. The project introduced and demonstrating this day-old chicken multiplication activity usinglocally made incubator.

Farmers at Bure burn the stump of eucalyptus to enhance the coppicing process. The fire helps to remove hard and dry barks whichmechanically hindered sprouting of auxiliary buds. In addition, the smoke and fire enhance

respiration process and modify the balance of differentgrowth regulator hormones like ABA and auxin, this physiological process enhance the speed of coppicing.

Some cattle fattening farmers fed boiled teff seed, barley and pulses like fenugreek to shorten the fattening period of animals.

Market information capturing

The project collects weekly market prices of agricultural commodities at Bure. This information is posted on the WKC notice board. In addition,this information is distributed to team leaders and higher officials of OoARD in the form of hard copy. Multipurpose cooperatives and the union usethis information as a baseline both to buy and sale agricultural commodities.

The project assessed and identified market routes of most agricultural products of Bure. The data sent to the GIS unit of IPMS project in order toplot on the country map and publish it.

Books, CDs and other materials provided to WKC and FTCs

Knowledge center are established both at OoARD and FTC levels. The project collected161

books, manuals, leaflets and guidelines both for animaland crop productions. These printed materials are collected from ILRI, EIAR, BoARD, Bahir Dar plant health clinic, Amhara Region Agricultural ResearchInstitute, West Gojjam Zone Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, etc. Some books are also purchased from book shops. The internet facility is also

used to download and print some books for the WKC. Most of these books are reserved in the WKC but DAs have a right to borrow

books from WKC for a limitedperiod of time. Books or manuals reserved in FTCs are written in Amharic language. Additional books requested by OoARD staffsubmitted to IPMS HQ forprocurement.

Bure PLW WKC has 42 CD collections. In addition, BoARD 10 training

VHS videos were converted to DVDs and made available at WKC andFTC. These DVDs feature trainings on artificial insemination, irrigation, vertisol management, fruit crops vegetative propagation, coffee and spiceproduction, fattening and dairy. Accordingto DAs these DVDs are found useful to train farmers in the FTC.

Seeds of different varieties of crops, beehive, egg tray, hay box, pruning shear and grafting knife are kept as demonstration

materials in theWKC.

Local newsletters/ posters

At Bure

there is a quarterly local newsletter named asEshete

and published by the woreda office of mass media. IPMS project attempted to disseminateinformation using this newsletter. For example, during this reporting period an article which describes about the

principles of IPMS project submitted forpublication on the newsletter.

Sugarcane juice making demonstration activity of the project aired by the radio program of the Amhara Mass Media Agency.

Training material preparation

IPMS project organized

trainings on dairy cow housing and feeding system, milk quality control methods, milk handling and processing, cattlefattening, pesticide management, sprayer maintenance, storage pests and control methods, computer software applications and on orchardmanagement and vegetative propagation of fruit crops. Manuals of these trainings are printed and reserved in the WKC to use them as a referencematerial for the staff. Moreover, softcopies of these trainings are saved on computers.

Knowledge Sharing

Bure

IPMS project at Bure PLW organized field days to farmers, DAs and experts in order to demonstrate the performance of bread wheat varieties. As a resultthree bread wheat varieties are selected and their seed will be multiplied on farmer’s field in this cropping season. Similar field day was organized to demonstratethe performance of faba bean varieties and farmers selected Degaga as adaptable and high yielding variety for their area. The

seed of this variety will be multipliedin this cropping seasonon farmer’s field.

A field day organized to demonstrate the role of mechanical wheat thresher to farmers, DAs, experts, cooperative officials, students and teachers. They haveobserved its importance to produce quality product, to save time, labor and money. However, the price is currently unaffordable for individual farmers.

The Bure project staff shared knowledge with colleagues and farmers at farmers’ festivals organized at Woreda, Zone and Region level. From the technologiesdisplayed by the PLW; sugarcane juice extracting machine and locally designed single ox ploughing tool took the attention of many audience.

During technology exhibitions we have shared knowledge by distributing leaflets to participants.

The market price of 33 agricultural commodities collected every week for the last six months and shared to users by posting it on the notice board and saving

as soft copy in the WKC computer.

Study tours

IPMS project at Bure PLW organized study tours to farmers, DAs and experts on dairy to Bahir Dar and on fattening to Gonder. In addition study tourorganized for farmers, DAs, experts and WALC members in order to visit Alemata, Atsbi, Adda and Fogera PLWs. From all study tours several useful lessen learntand some of them are under implementation.

Bure PLW visited by WALC members of Adda, Alaba and Fogera PLWs. These teams forwarded constructive comments on some of our activities and thesecomments were used as inputs while planning activities for 2008/9 program of work.

The WKC and FTC of Bure PLW visited by extension consultant of SWISHA project to acquire experience on IPMS KC roles and modality of operation.

Knowledge Management

Amhara Regional State

Metema PLW

Knowledge Gap Assessment

Metema

Cattle fattening and Dairydevelopment

There is little knowledge on collection and preservation of hay and sorghum stalk for future use. Previous efforts made by the OoARD and other projects in Metema foradoptions of animal feed collection and preservation have been unsuccessfulbecause such activities coincide with the critical time of sesame harvesting. In such circumstances,the use of labor and time saving technologies (and knowledge about such options) play an important role to shorten the time for feed collection and allows

farmers to haveenough time and energy for sesame harvesting.

Banana /Irrigation agriculture/

Growing cavendish banana has emerged as a good income source for many farmers and farmers. However, there are still knowledge

gaps among farmers in exploiting thefull potential of this “new” commodity in Metema. An example is lack of adequate knowledge on proper ripening technique. This

problem hinders farmers from entering biggermarkets when they have bumper harvest.

A related issue is that the successof horticulture products in Metema has resulted in competition for limited irrigable land. Adequate skills and knowledge among farmersand OoARD officials to equitably share this limited resource is critical for a continued success of horticulture product

growing in Metema and neighboring Woredas. Efforts arebeing made to resolve such issues through community dialogues.

Lack of adequate skills in fruit tree seedling production has a potential to limit the number of farmers that can engage in this endeavor and the sustainability of those thathave started growing fruit trees. Efforts are being made to narrow the knowledge gap through in this area by training publicand private sector partners in fruit tree seedlingmultiplication.

Cotton

In the pastfew years, the production of cotton in Metema are had dwindled drastically due to problem of pest (flea beetle). Realizing this, the project started an interventionin 2006 through the use of improved seed and seed treatment chemical against the pest. Farmers who were involved in the intervention increased productivity and reduced theircost of production. In 2007 the number of farmers who grew cotton increased drastically to a point that the problem now is to

get enough of the desired seeds. The seed supplysystem for cotton is very complex (cross breeding) and farmers fail whenever seed suppliers fail to supply improved basic

Knowledge Capturing, Assembling, & Synthesizing

Manuals on vegetable production, Dairy, and fruits were supplied to WOA and DAs

CD on budding and grafting technique is supplied for WKC

Study tour was conducted in Bekolo Abay regional nursery

ILRI publications were secured as knowledge center collections

Knowledge Sharing

Metema

Meeting

A three day meeting was organized for selected farmers to encourage them to engage in improved agricultural production practices with special attentiongiven to problems around equitable distribution of irrigable land. In addition to farmers, the meeting was attended by PA leaders and development of agents ofthe woreda.

Field day

A field day (and a follow-up a panel discussion) was organized to promote scaling up and scaling out the irrigated agriculture interventions. Regional,zonal and Woreda level decision makers from Metema and neighboring Woredas participated in this meeting. Lessons gained from the project intervention ingeneral, issues of scaling out, market access, the need for improving road accesses for banana growers were given special attention.

Promotion

Banana market promotion was conducted in North Gonder zonal office of agriculture campus to introduce the newly operational chela house.

345kilograms of banana were sold. Sample bananas purchased from the producers were distributed among the Regional BoA staff andthree Bahr Dar locatedbanana traders.

Farmer’s festival

The project staff attended a regional farmers’ festival. Posters, pictures and video films on IPMS interventions and successstories were presented to thehigher official of the Amhara Region including the president of the region.

Market visit

Six banana farmers participated in a market visit program intended to expose the farmers to the market chain of their products and to meet the final buyersof their produce.

Experience sharing

A number of experience sharing events were organized for farmers on improved cattle fattening practices.

Similarly, an experience sharing visit to see improved rice production system was organized by Gonder research center. In the

event, woreda level expert,development workers and farmers selected from 5 PAs were participated, The experience sharing was conducted in fogera059504

Knowledge Management

Amhara Regional State

Fogera PLW

Knowledge Gap Assessment

Knowledge Capturing, Assembling & Synthesizing

Fogera

Market information is gathered in different regions and announced to farmers and brokers.

The addresses of contact traders for market information is documented

Books are delivered to WKC by individuals from SG2000 staff, training manuals from experts, leaflets for different commodity development work by IPMS-Fogera, computer self teaching CDs and additional books, newsletters from IPMS HQ were secured for WKC use.

In addition tacit knowledge is believed to have been gotten from:

Thee

study tour to Tigray and North Wollo.

Knowledge about community mobilization efforts in grazing land management in Atsbi and Mersa

The knowledge of diversification of irrigated cops at Axum, Alamata, and Mersa

Fruits and vegetables post harvest storage at Mekhoni

Animal feed development on farm strip at Shire

Model FTC establishment at Atsbi and Meket

Knowledge Sharing

Field days were organized to share knowledge and experiences on upland rice, chickpea, and urea treatment of rice straw.

Knowledge Management

Oromia Regional State

Ada PLW

Knowledge Gap Assessment

Adaá

Poultry farming

Inadequate knowledge on rearing of day old chicks and general chicken management.

Dairy

Knowledge on modern dairy management is lacking–

particularly by women dairy farmers in rural areas. There is no proper recording of animal history,feeding, breeding, health and no information on cost and benefit of the enterprise. Milk hygiene and milk containers are critical problems for market penetrationby smallholder dairy farmers.

Fruit and vegetable

Fruits and vegetables management in Ada is very traditional. Agronomic practices and pest management need improvement.

Crop

Framers and Development agents lack the necessary knowledge to tackle post

harvest loss–

which is one of the major factors contributing for low level ofproductivity. Such losses account for about 20% of total yield.

Knowledge Capturing, Assembling, & Synthesizing

Adaá

Indigenous knowledge.:

A farmer from Denkaka PA built irrigation system digging bore hole to harvest ground water using local knowledge and experience was found exemplary.His knowledge was captured and shared among farmers by organizing visit to his innovation.

Market information:

Market information

was captured from media and local Market, this information synthesized and posted on billboards established in four FTCs.

Farmers’ field day in which five farmers from each PA, Woreda Administration, Zonal OoARD and Regional Bureau ofAgriculture and Rural Development, SMS, DAs and IPMS staff participated was organized in the Woreda.

The attendees visited farmers’ innovations and saw FTCs equipped with demonstration material. General discussion was heldafter the field day and it was a good forum to share experiences. Ten farmers identified as innovative were awarded improvedseedand fertilizer.

In addition farmers’ field day was organized in four FTCs

( Gender Gorba, Dire, Hidi and Bekejo) where Teff, wheat andchickpea variety trial and agronomic practice were demonstrated. Useful feedback/remarks were provided by farmers to researchersand extension workers about the drawback of the seed supply system in Ethiopia.

Knowledge Management

Oromia Regional State

Goma PLW

Knowledge Gap Assessment

Knowledge Capturing, Assembling & Synthesizing

Goma

Two market information sharing billboards were placed at suitable places in Agaro. One is placed inthe compound of OoARD where many people visitthe office to collect their licensees to sell coffee.

A brochure highlighting the Goma woreda socioeconomic status is placed in the knowledge center and FTCs.

A guide to market information gathering techniques was downloaded and placed both in KC and FTC

A large notice board for posting current events and pictures for the consumption of the technical staff of the Woreda and surrounding community wasproduced and placed in 4 FTCs and KC

A leaflet to advertise availability of coffee dried on raised bed was produced and distributed to various buyers

A design guide for Kenya top bar or a transitional bee hive was downloaded and distributed to 30 target farmers, quite significant number of target farmershave started constructing transitional hive using the design

A guide on bee farming produced by Apinec PLC in collaboration with SNV was collected from Bonga Apinec office and photocopied and placed both inKC and FTC

About 14 awareness creation materials on gender and HIV/AIDS (Amharic and English version) placed in FTCs

Booklets on fodder shrubs and cattle trade on Ethio-Sudan border are placed on FTCs

A study tour was made to Bong with the objective of gaining knowledge and better practices in the area of honey production and marketing, as well asimproved coffee drying and marketing practices, etc.

Knowledge Sharing

A Workshop was organized for all 25 local council members to share the experiences of a study tour group which had recently traveled to Atsbi andAlamata PLWs.

A workshop was organized for all 60 OoARD staff and 130 front line staff to reflect on the experience of Atsbi and Almata PLW

visits.

A one day workshop was organized to 12 field supervisors to highlight Innovative extension approaches.

Knowledge Management

Oromia Regional State

Miesso PLW

Knowledge Gap Assessment

Miesso

Concepts, practices and application of participatory development approach/

Eleven agricultural books, manuals and guidelines and 13 leaflets from BoARD technology extension and communication department were secured for usein WKC and FTCs.

Books, CDs and other materials provided to WKC and FTCs

The numbers of CDs in Knowledge Center on CD rack increased from 80 CDs (in March 2007) to 91 CDs (in Sept 2008)

Study tours

PA to PA visit was arranged for 11 farmers and 2 Woreda staff to enable to see an operational drip irrigation system.

Two small-scale animal feed suppliers and two Woreda staff were taken to see a large animal feed processing plant in Awassa. Based on their exposure tothe commercial operators the small-scale animal feed shop owners were able to diversify the feed types they offer to their customers and improve the quality offeed they bring to the market.

The PLW hosted paravets & woreda staff form Alamata PLW on Jan 15 /2008 who came to Alaba to see the promising experiences of

Alaba paravets.

Six Alaba paravets in turn paid a visit to neighboring Woreda paravets with longer experience in community animal health work.

Oromina RALC and Alaba WALC members visited an IPMS project sites and had discussions with 31 staff members.

Demonstration of drip irrigation was held for 17 farmers(2 women) on Oct 10/2007.

Pepper drying technology and seed treatment technologies were demonstrated on peeper field day organized by Melkassa Research

Center on Nov 8/2007.

Awassa Research Center promoted soybean production through training on the nutritional value of soybeans and demonstrating the diverse uses of soybeanas bread, toasted seeds, porridge, soymilk and many of its useful by-products.

IPMS sponsored graduate student gave a seminar to OoARD staff on farmers’ capacity for innovation.

A member of the OoARD staff who attended an IPMS-organized workshop on HIV/AIDs gave a briefing on what he learned to 17 of his colleagues in thePLW.

An entertaining drama that features River Code as a PRA method was staged for 70 OoARD staff.

Knowledge Management

SNNP Regional State

Dale PLW

Knowledge Gap Assessment

Dale

Computer literacy: Most of the PLW staff are not confident enough to work on computers independently.

Inadequate knowledge in seed technology amongst the field staff, leadership of the service cooperative, and farmers “specializing” in seed production.

Most of the field staff lack practical knowledge in improved poultry management at village level.

Market oriented participatory extension

Inadequate understanding of participatory extension system.

Knowledge Capturing, Assembling, & Synthesizing

Knowledge Sharing

Dale

The project produced posters showing the nature and appearance of seedlings produced by local seedling producers to promote this promisingendeavor. The project also used the Sidama radio FM to popularize these fruits.

Farmers’ field day was held in one of the FTCs supported by the project where haricot beans, soybeans, forage and other crops including varietyadaptation trial for maize were demonstrated

Apiculture materials were demonstrated and explanations were given to twenty farmers in Showe kebele where now there are 26 farmers who ownbee colonies in122 traditional and one transitional top bars hives.

The project sponsored a local bee keeping family (husband and wife) and two Woreda staff members to attend a national bee keepers associationannual meeting in Addis Ababa. The bee keeper and his wife have 32 bee colonies.

Dairy processing technology:

The PLW has bought two ILRI type butter churners form Debrezeit former ILRI workshop. The churners were demonstrated for 18 DAs that weregathered for one day consultation regarding livestock activities in the Woreda.

Poultry technology (Chicken hay brooders and runners):

Using the creativity fund allocated as loan for 80 women, the PLW has produced 80 hay brooders and chicken runners. The technology is used to raiseday old chickens up to the age of three months when they will be sold as pullets (egg layers) in the woreda or elsewhere. The

women prior to the deliveryof the chickens were given a two days training in chicken

rearing and the management of the hay brooder. Currently the 80 women in 5 clusters in fivekebeles (Soyama, Debub Mesenkela, Weynenata, Debub Mesenkela and Ajawa) are rearing 4000 chickens (minus 1% mortality at thetime of reporting).

Improved varieties of vegetables (Tomato and pepper) and management practices under drip system

Improved management of poultry production at large and small scale

Knowledge Capturing, Assembling, and Synthesizing

Knowledge Sharing

Alamata

Seminar

A seminar onCommercialization of Ethiopian Agriculture and the Role of Agricultural Marketing Extensionat Alamata PLW was presentedby IPMS head office scientist.

Experience sharing visits were done among IPMS-PLWs

Me-eso WALC visit-

24th

Dec. 2007

Bure-Wemberma WALC visit-

27th

Feb.2008

Fogera WALC visit–

12th

Mar, 2008

Me-eso, Bure-wemberma and Fogera WALC team have visited Alamata PLW on Dec. 2007, Feb. 27 2008 and March 2008 respectively. The teamswere briefed whole activities of Alamata PLW on the selected commodities for the 3 years. In addition to this

the visiting teams of both PLWs havevisited the following activities/site:

Desta milk cooperatives

Model FTC performance

Swampy area of Garjela PA

Model farmers on vegetable and fruit production

Chelekot modern irrigation sheme

Orientationon Commodity Development in the PLW

IPMS participated in this Woreda Administration evaluation of overall agricultural activities in the PLW during the main rainy season anddiscussed the challenges and success so far. IPMS presented commodity development activities undertaken in the PLW and the market-orientedproduction approach the project has followed in the Woreda for the last two years. Pictorial presentations made by IPMS helped the participantssee the extent of work being done in the Woreda.

Orientation on Commodity Development on farmers’ Conference of Alamata and Raya Azebo Woredas

The conference was organized for 500 and 350 farmers in the two Woredas respectively. The objective was to motivate and involve farmers inthe production of market-oriented agriculture.

The major issues presented in the conference were:

Onion production and marketing

Forage production and dairy development

Desta milk cooperative activities

Vegetable and fruit production and marketing and

Large ruminant fattening activities in Alamata woreda.

Orientation on Commodity Development to five Woreda Administrations (15 participants per Woreda) and OoARD desk headsorganized by Zonaladministration to share experience among all Woredas of Zone.

IPMS briefed the audience on the project’s commodity development experience. Challenge and success on onion production and marketing,forage production and dairy development, Desta milk cooperative activities, vegetable and fruit production and marketing andlarge ruminantfattening activities in Alamata Woreda were discussed. These session has contributed to a better understanding of IPMS activities by zonal andWoreda policy makers and increased the likelihood for institutionalization of IPMS’s approaches to commodity development and has laid thefoundation for possible scaling out to the neighboring Woredas.

Milk Market Promotion Day as part of Dairy development in the PLW

Little has been done to promote or create awareness about the increased milk production in the Woreda due to the establishment of IPMSfacilitated milk cooperative (Desta Milk Cooperative). IPMS in collaboration with the OoARD undertook milk marketing promotion work on 27th

Dec.2008.

The promotion was accompanied by various activities such as marching school children, singing and information on the significance of milk tohealth, special t-shirts and caps made for the occasion, displaying relevant short stories and poem by cultural music band, live display of bettermanaged cows of the cooperative members, feed carrying camels and Bajaj motor bikes carrying milk containers. In addition, a competition wasstaged among cooperative members on the management of local,begait

andfresian

cows and among authors of poems related to milk promotion.Prizes were awarded to the top three winners in each group.

Knowledge Management

Tigray Regional State

Atsbi PLW

Knowledge Gap Assessment

Atsbi

Vegetables and spices

In general there is inadequate knowledge on:

Dependable seed supply for selected marketable vegetable varieties

Seedling and on field water management,

Pests and disease management,

Processing and transporting of produce, and

Market information.

Apiculture

Inadequate knowledge on how to respond to “trade mark” misappropriation by some traders who use Atsbi honey “trade name” for honey from otherlocations or mixing Atsbi honey with other (lower quality) honey.

Inadequate knowledge and access on handling leaf and root rot field diseases

Fruits

Better seedling production and handling.

Knowledge Capturing, Assembling & Synthesizing

Atsbi

Materials provided to WKCs and/or FTCs:

Sixteen books and training materials supplied to WKC. Eight participatory manuals were placed in the four FTC (2 manuals/FTC).

Training materials preparation:

Leaflet on participatory innovation approaches in market-led agricultural development was printed in Tigrigna and distributed to panel discussionparticipants during Tigray farmers’ Festival workshop in Shire.

Study tours

About 108 farmers and public staff visited sites in central Tigray to get better understanding on:

Gully rehabilitation and use of animal feed production, and utilization for market oriented fattening and dairyproduction in Ahferom and Aduaworedas.

Irrigation water management and vegetable production in Adaha, Kola Tembien woreda.

Beekeeping management in area closure by youth group in Deguae Tembien woreda.

PLW staff and selected innovative farmers participated in a regional agricultural technology marketing exhibition held in Shire on the occasion of theTigray Farmers’ Festival. The Woreda OoARD covered the full expenses of the participants (without IPMS support). This is one good example ofinstitutionalization of IPMS approaches and experience in the PLW.

Field days:

WALC members, experts, supervisors, DAs and farmers shared experiences on vegetable management and irrigated forage development whilewitnessing same in fields within the PLW.

Promotional activities/seminars:

IPMS approaches and experiences on market-led agricultural development and innovations were shared during the Tigray Farmers Festival in Shire.Extensive citations from IPMS presentations were published in the local Amharic daily Addis Zemen Vol. 67 No 217 and No 220).

Scaling out IPMS approaches and experiences.

IPMS office in Atsbi held repeated discussions with the eastern Tigray administrativeand economic advisors on rural development/extension experts,and other decision makers to share the projectapproaches

and explore possibilities for scaling out to other Woredas within the zone upon their request.